Audiology and Speech Pathology at the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia and the Ida Institute formalized their long-standing collaboration last week at the 2018 American Academy of Audiology conference.
Professor Louise Hickson, Head of the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences and Co-Director of the Communication Disability Centre at the University of Queensland, signed a partnership agreement alongside Lise Lotte Bundesen, Managing Director of the Ida Institute. The agreement outlines the University of Queensland and the Ida Institute’s mutual commitment to a person-centered approach to hearing care, and states their intention to collaborate for the enhancement of audiological rehabilitation education and research.
The Ida Institute has been allied with the University of Queensland since the Institute’s beginning. Professor Louise Hickson is the inaugural and current chair of the Ida Advisory Board; Dr Nerina Scarinci, Head of Speech Pathology at the University of Queensland, was a visiting scholar at the Ida Institute in 2015; Ida tools are included in Queensland Audiology and Speech Pathology courses; and Queensland academic and clinical staff have participated in a number of Ida workshops, seminars, and projects over the years.
The partnership renews the organizations’ already successful cooperation. “With this new partnership we look at our collaboration with the University of Queensland with fresh eyes, and ask ‘how can we together best advance knowledge and train future professionals to improve the lives of people with hearing loss?’” said Lise Lotte Bundesen.
Professor Louise Hickson added, “We are delighted to be able to extend our long standing relationship with the Ida Institute and look forward to the next phase in our collaboration with them.”